www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I'd like to solicit suggestions for additonal hotels/restaurants to add to the next version of the monger's map. Hotels should generally be distinctive in some way and/or monger friendly. Restaurants should also be distinctive/unique - I'm not interested in American fast food joints.

Please provide street locations for any suggested additions. Anything in downtown San Jose is fine, but unfortunately, I can't show the location on the map if they don't fall within current map boundaries; i.e., Calle 8 to the west, Avenida 13 to the north, Calle 15 to the east, and Avenida 16 to the south.

Current hotels/restaurants included on the monger's map are as follows:

Restaurants:

Amon Plaza lounge
Cafe Mundo
La Palma
Del Mar
Morazon Cafe
Do Sushi
Costa Del Sol
News Cafe
Mariscar
Tin Jo
La Piazetta
Machu Pichu

Hotels:

Sportsmen's Lodge
Castillo
Hemingway
Don Carlos
Amon Plaza
Inca Real
Rincon
Europa
Holiday Inn
Morazon
Del Rey
Balmoral
Presidente
Hotel Asia
Gran Via
Gran Hotel
Royal Dutch
Gran D'Oro

Thanks in advance for your input!

GR

Great list..May I submit that DO sushi is so bad that it might be left off?

Psychman

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Balcone de Europa...is a new VIP sponsor. RIght next door to the New York Bar to the south.

Also "Faros" (used to be called "Gordys") katty corner to Hotel Morazan. Good Mexican fare, a decent and inexpensive Filet Mignon. Inexpensive. Daily luncheon specials for around $2.50

I agree with Tman about Faros, I have eaten there several times and the food is good and inexpensive. If you guys stop eating the Filet Mignon, I might get a chance to try it. They were out three times and one time completely out of beef. Go early.

Also, the hotel Dunn Inn is not on the list, it is in Barrio Amon. My friend used to stay there all the time and it is reasonably priced. I will have to stop by in July and check it out.

http://www.hoteldunninn.com/

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GG
"Last time I said no......I misunderstood the question!"

Several people have recently raved about a place called something like "Terra Neuva".

Are all the places currently on the map good recommendations? Isn't Del Ray overpriced?

Although not a recommended eatery, one fast food joint that should be added as an important landmark for helping to locate nearby establishments is the Paseo Colon KFC (PC C32 nw). (hint: try clicking on that on my map site)

I haven't eaten at Do Sushi so can not speak to its quality, but I have eaten at the Balcon and thought it was absolutely the worst meal I've had in SJ. I also noticed you added Cafe Morazon to your map. Personally, it was more my style when it was just a greasy spoon. Obviously, YMMV applies to any of these places.

I believe the place Racetrack was referring to is the Nuestra Tierra (A2 C13/15). Its had some good reviews, but DingDong says it was a bit of a pricey tourist restaurant, so again YMMV. If you check your map references you will see that Calle 13 starts up again south of Ave. Central . If you draw that in (and you do have the space) you could certainly add this restaurant.

Some other restaurants that are covered in your map territory are:
1) Rest. Criolitto (A7 C7/9 s)
2) Rest. Peru (C3b A7/9 w)
3) Rest. Faro's (across the street from the Hotel Morazon on C7)
4) Chelles Soda/Bar (A Cent C9 sw) (how did you miss that one?)(btw, the pedestrian mall ends there and not at C11 as you have on your map)
5) Rest. Campesino (C7 A2/4 e)
6) Rest. Don Wang (C11 A8/10 w) immed. to the right of Tin Jo. Its supposed to be good and is cheaper chinese. I've been meaning to try it for Dim Sum for some time now.
7) JR's Ribs (not sure of the address but just north of NF on your map)
8 ) Plaza Venida (the new L shaped food court with 1 entrance across from Mariscar and another across from the NY Bar.
9) Bakea (A7 C11)
10) Manolo's (A Cent C Cent/2)
11) Soda Central (A1 C3/5)
12) Soda Castro (A10 C2/4)

As for hotels, your list seems to be pretty complete as to ones mentioned on this board. How about adding the Best Western (A7 C6 nw)? I'm not sure how chica friendly it is but it has been mentioned by some members. Some of your hotels are NOT particularly chica-friendly such as the Gran and the Balmoral. How about indicating that by placing an X across the green icon on your map?

As for monger places, how about adding Bella Mansion and Arte Sauna as R.I.P. places just for historical note. You might also want to add Miss Caribe across from Arcada's (I thought it was a pit, but it could have been an off night). You could also add in Mary's MP (A10 C13/15 n) right at the edge of your map if you add in C13 like I suggested above.

Someone else suggested you add a few non-monger sights and landmarks:
1) Split up the Plaza Cultura to indicate the Gold Museum and the National Theatre
2) Jade Museum (A7 C9/11 n)
3) Museum of Cont.Art (just west of Park Espana)
4) Bolivar Zoo (just under the map's title)
5) Postal Museum (C2 A1/3). I'm not particularly into stamps but this falls into a relatively sparsely populated area of the map.
6) Landmarks: Melico Salazar (sp?), Casa Amarilla (E of Jade Museum), Metal Building (W of Park Espana), area churches Soledad and the Nat. Cathedral. next to Park Central.

Another member suggested adding an inset for the D'Pelufo area. Aside from D'Pelufo's, there are no "monger" places per se in that area, but there are a few interesting bars and restaurants. I'm not sure how you could possibly fit them in except perhaps at the very bottom of the map as a thin strip of Avenida Central running from the San Pedro Mall, Los Patines, Rest. Ponte Vechio, Ave Fenix, El Pomodoro, Mall Pequeno, the Calle Amargura "student" bars (Fez Cafe, Terra U, La Villa), the Jazz Cafe and ending up at D'Pelufo. Like I said, not sure if you really want to go there as you already have a pretty full map.

Here is another suggestion. You don't need to fill your map up with any extra labels, but how about adding some $ signs and @ symbols to indicate ATM's and internet cafes (webding v for bus stops and i for tourist info).?

Finally, I want to apologize if it seemed like I was trying to steal any of your thunder, which was definitely not my intent. I suggest you change the title that appears on your map from Monger's Map to GetRhythm's Map. That way there won't be any confusion. Don't be humble. You deserve a lot of credit for all your efforts. Because I admire your work as much as I do, I haven't bothered to work on my own. Instead I'll just concentrate on keeping my pop-ups adjusted to match your changes and additions.

What was the name of that Rib place the crowd of us went to around the time of the SB party? All I remember is that it was a hole in the wall/hard to find place with some of the best ribs I've ever had.

Vegas Bob, Hands Solo -- you guys were there. Anyone remember?

./Joluko

Could it have been JR's ribs?

_________________
GG
"Last time I said no......I misunderstood the question!"

That's possible Grey. I drank so much I don't remember much

GR AND Prolijo,

Kudos to BOTH of you for your time and efforts on your respective maps. They have both been a tremendous asset for me and countless others.

GR, shame on you for so quickly forgetting Nuestra Tierra... that DEFINITELY earned a right on to your map!

Tman's suggestion of Faro's is also great, we had an amazing meal there prior to the "Larry David Show."

See ya in two weeks!

Ruffnutz

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EVERYONE'S A ROCK STAR IN C.R.!!
"Just when I thought I was out... They pull me back in." -- Ruffnutz on trying to quit CRT

Thanks to everyone - but especially to Prolijo - for the excellent suggestions. I plan on incorporating as many as possible. The new map is looking great and will be a big improvement over previous iterations.

Prolijo - appreciate very much the compliments. BTW - I would love to add Arte de Sauna as an RIP place, but I'm not enough of a vet to know where it was. Perhaps you can enlighten me on that.

Thanks again to all - much appreciated.

GR

The final resting place for Arte Y Sauna was on the west side of Calle 9, 75M south of Avenida Segunda. Directly across from the Tica Bus station.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Seeing as you don't mind my suggestions here are few more (some kinda nitpicky).

1) As I recall the casino area at the Amon is at the back right hand side.

2) Similarly the BM would be more accurately depicted to the right of the lobby area rather than on the C9 side.

3) I don't know if you are planning to add bus stops but a few of the more important ones are:
a) A Cent C9/11 n (where the buses from San Pedro let out).
b) A2 C9/11 s (where you can catch about any of the buses to go to San Pedro)
c) A5 C1/3 s (where you can catch or get off buses to Calle Blanco - Linda Vista aptos)
d) A6 C12/14 s (buses to/from Escazu)
e) A2 C3 sw (buses to/from Irazu)
f) Does anyone know where the best place to catch buses for the Paseo Colon KFC area and which ones to look for and also which ones to look for coming back?
4) ATM's, there are lots of those and you already have some of them. If you change them to a $ and get rid of the seperate color you can add indicators for the ATM's that are in some of the hotels and casinos such as the HDR & the Morazon. There are also 2 different ones I've used across from the Gold Museum on C5.

5) Internet cafes (@): Netopia (A1 C11 nw upstairs w/over 25 stations), Internet Cafe (A Cent C4 se), 24hr Club (C7 A Cent/2 w), Cybercafe (A2 C1/3 n) and the one I usually use whose name escapes me (A Cent C5/7 n upstairs). Many hotels have free but much fewer (1-2) and older stations either limited to hotel guests or free but in high traffic locations.

6) There is an ICT tourist info office below the Plaza Cultura near the museum entrance that has excellent free maps of CR and other useful info. Others might recommend the commercial tour desks at the HDR, Aurola or other independent locations that would be worthy of a special (i) symbol.

7) Some people might need to know where to find the post office. It and the stamp museum are at C2 A1/3 w.

8 ) The Sixaola Lavandaria at A2 C7/9 has been listed here at CRT as a place where you can have a full load of laundry done for $4-5 (its more like $1-2/shirt at the hotels).

9) Dunn Inn is at A11 C5 sw.

10) I can't recall. Is the Balcon Franco (or Europa or whatever they call themselves now) to the right or the left of the NY Bar? I'm pretty sure its down the hill to the right (C9 A Cent/1 e).

11) The old Nashville South Bar is a gulch institution that I heard has re-opened under new mgmt at C5 A1/3 w (nr the sw corner of Morazon Park)

Prolijo...one correction on the Balcon Europa. Since CHef Pierre has had it, I have not heard one negetive review yet. Admin 1 and I have eaten there twice and now find it about the best dining value in the gulch...especially with the new CRT discount ...